Gu Ying looked at Shen Ruxu expressionlessly, with no mercy in her heart. She turned around and walked out.
Just as she stepped out, she saw several soldiers rushing over, carrying a man. Yin Lan, looking disheveled, was following them.
"Mistress! Master Huai An is back!"
In the firelight of the military camp, Gu Ying steadied her mind and took a clear look. The man covered in blood with a dangling leg could be none other than Huai An.
She walked over worriedly and glanced at the unconscious man. "Yin Lan, what happened to him?"
Yin Lan's eyes were red from crying. She said, "Mistress, Master Huai An fell off a cliff while trying to save me... he broke his leg..."
Gu Ying was surprised. "What? But you look totally fine?"
Her plan didn't include Yin Lan falling off a cliff!
Yin Lan couldn't continue her fake crying. Although it was a simple test, Huai An had still risked his life to save her. She was deeply moved, but—
"Yes, this servant is perfectly fine. Master Huai An thought I had fallen off the cliff, and he insisted on jumping off to find me... Then when I came out to stop him, he was startled when he saw me. He lost his footing and fell..." At this point, not just Gu Ying, even the soldiers carrying Huai An couldn't help laughing.
"Alright, hurry and take Master Huai An back to his tent." Gu Ying pretended not to see Huai An's trembling eyelashes. "Yin Lan, go take care of him."
Barely containing her laughter, Yin Lan replied, "Yes."
Then the group proceeded into Huai An's tent.
Gu Ying breathed a sigh of relief. Although she had only schemed for a couple days, even now her heart was still thumping loudly.
If she hadn't noticed Shen Ruxu's malicious intentions early on, Yin Lan might have truly been in danger.
Fortunately, she had caught on ahead of time.
She turned, wanting to return to the Prince's main tent, but just then heard the urgent clip-clop of horses' hooves from outside the camp gate.
Gu Ying looked back towards the gate and saw the Prince, Ning Chang'an and others returning on horseback as night fell deeper.
Seeing the Prince's heroic posture as he dismounted, Gu Ying recalled Shen Ruxu's words, and her heart quivered.
Did the Prince know of her ruthless scheming?
"Why are you standing here alone?"
Zhao Changdu got off his horse and headed straight for her, rubbing the top of her head affectionately with his palm. The corners of his mouth curled indulgently. "It's cold outside. You're physically weak. Come on, let's go in."
Gu Ying was somewhat dumbfounded. Then she smiled softly and took the man's large hand. "I was waiting here for you. Ah Du, did it go smoothly today?"
"Mm. You needn't worry about these things. Just focus on nurturing the child."
"Ah Du..."
"Hmm?"
Gu Ying bit her lip and smiled. "Nothing... just, I'm feeling much better today."
Zhao Changdu's eyes crinkled slightly and he led her back inside the tent, not allowing her to tire herself.
He had been out for a day and was covered in dust and dirt. After joking with the little girl for a bit, he went out to bathe and freshen up.
The atmosphere in the camp felt off.
Huai An had broken his leg. His face was covered in cuts and scratches from tree branches and thorns. Yin Lan's eyes were red as she kept vigil at Huai An's side.
The others were also deferential, not daring to say much.
Someone did mention that Miss Shen was still tied up in her tent and asked what he planned to do with her.
Zhao Changdu went to take a look at Shen Ruxu.
Shen Ruxu had been roughed up, looking completely pitiful and wretched.
He narrowed his eyes. Shen Ruxu's cries were grating on his nerves.
He exited Shen Ruxu's tent, washed his face, and returned to the main tent, his eyes brooding.
Gu Ying carefully sat at the edge of the bed instead of lying down fawningly like usual. She respectfully brought over a cup of hot water. "Drink some water, Your Highness."
Zhao Changdu glanced at her coolly. He took the cup. "What happened in the camp today while I was gone?"
His tone was aloof, even a little cold. He didn't seem to be in a good mood.
Gu Ying's heart lurched. She had planned to tell the Prince about today's events, but his sudden cold demeanor made her recall Shen Ruxu's words once more.
Did the Prince know of her schemes to frame and bring down a country girl?
After finding out, would he look down on her?
A twinge pierced her heart and her chest hurt slightly. Some words became lodged in her throat, unable to make their way out.
The man's tone was frigid. "Well?"
Gu Ying unnaturally covered up the truth. "Nothing major... Just that Miss Shen wanted to harm Yin Lan, so Huai An led people to rescue her, but accidentally fell off a cliff... Fortunately he wasn't severely injured, only breaking a leg. Find a doctor skilled in bone-setting to fix him up, let him recuperate for a bit, and he'll be fine."
Zhao Changdu's expression was gloomy. "Oh? Shen Ruxu wanted to harm Yin Lan?"
With his inherently aloof and cold appearance, if he wore no expression, he looked even more cold and distant.
Gu Ying had once been a naive and kind girl. She had never deliberately harmed anyone.
But after being reborn, she had changed greatly. Aside from protecting those close to her, if it came to kindness, she was utterly devoid of it.
When it came time to make a move, she never softened her hand.
She didn't know what the Prince thought of her extremely cunning and scheming nature. She forced a smile. "Yeah. But Yin Lan is lucky, so she's already fine. As for Miss Shen, she was too clever for her own good and ended up being violated by Liu Chang instead. Right now she's tied up in her tent, awaiting Your Highness's judgment on her fate."
Zhao Changdu's expression was cold as he wordlessly shed his overcoat and sat down in the fur chair.
On the surface, things seemed simple. But he knew the little girl before him was lying to conceal the truth from him.
Her half-truths were a mark of distrust towards him.
So in her eyes, would he not avenge her and their child, needing her to intricately scheme and take revenge herself?
Gu Ying could not comprehend his expression. All she felt was an uncomfortable sensation in her heart, like a thorn lodged inside.
Some distress, and some inexplicable calm.
Things had already reached this point, leaving no room for reversal.
No matter what the Prince asked, she would just answer. As for how he saw her, that was his business...
All she could do was accept it calmly.
The atmosphere inside the grand tent solidified slightly as silence stretched on for some time. Gu Ying couldn't bear the silent torture. She tentatively broke the silence. "How does Your Highness plan to deal with Miss Shen?"
Taking the initiative to handle things was completely different from being passively handed the aftermath.
Initially Shen Ruxu had wanted to harm her child, so twenty military beatings would not have been excessive. But now it was Gu Ying who had schemed against Shen Ruxu, altering the nature of things. She didn't know what the Prince would... do.
She was suddenly somewhat worried - would what she'd done gradually push the Prince further away?
No one would like a profoundly cunning and vicious person, she imagined...
The man did not reply. Gu Ying grew even more apprehensive. "Your Highness..."
